On including assessments in the calculation of teaching loads.

Next to courses and seminars, tests and assessments represent the main parameters with which to describe an academic study program independent of its curricular content. Thus, the quality of education depends not only on the quality of the courses taught and how they are interconnected, but also on the quality of testing and the feedback given to students regarding their performance. Course quality should be ensured through course evaluation. The economic cost of courses is calculated based on the required teaching load. The concept of teaching load stems from the time when program planning was instructor-centered. The main variable in the rules and regulations governing university study was the number of hours per week per semester (or number of course hours). But even in today's student-centered planning, which uses ECTS credits per module as the variable, teaching loads are still used to determine the number of staff necessary to offer an academic study program. Some universities also include the assessments in the evaluation. Yet the economic costs of testing are de facto ignored almost everywhere, and this does not bode well for the quality of the assessments. Much progress would be made to improve higher education if assessments counted as part of the teaching loads and the curricular norm values. This paper identifies which requirements must be considered in order to include assessments in teaching loads.

Effects of the alternative medical curriculum at the Hannover Medical School on length of study and academic success.

Objective: The model curriculum HannibaL (Hannoversche integrierter berufsorientierter und adaptiver Lehrplan) differs significantly from other medical study programs in Germany in terms of its structure with which, among other factors, the Hannover Medical School (MHH) saw an opportunity to positively influence the length of study. We investigate how the length of medical study is influenced by the curriculum's structure and whether this has any impact on academic success. Methods: We use data from over 2,500 students who studied medicine at MHH between 2011 and 2021. We measure study time as the number of years which pass until completion of the respective study phases and academic success as the grades achieved on final exams. Results: Since they more often fail or postpone exams, students admitted based on special quotas (VQ) or a waiting list (WQ) need significantly more time to complete the first study phase (M1) compared to students who were admitted based on a selection process (AdH) or who belong to the "best school graduates" quota (AQ) because they earned the highest scores on the final secondary school exam. Yet, students from all admission groups reach the written state exam (M2) almost simultaneously. In HannibaL, WQ and VQ manage to catch up on delays from M1 with no negative impact on success in M2. In general, however, VQ and WQ achieve lower grades and drop out more often than students from AQ and AdH. Discussion: In the regular curriculum, students can only proceed with their studies once M1 has been entirely completed. HannibaL, on the other hand, allows for the catching up of delays from the first two years of study by integrating both study phases. The curricular structure thus accommodates students with lower academic performance who accumulate delays early on in their studies. By contrast, delays in the AQ and AdH groups arise during the second phase of study (M2).

Physical Fitness, Nutrition and Quality of Life in German Medical Students.

BACKGROUND: Medical students are exposed to high cognitive demands as well as to a high learning effort, which as a consequence can lead to a limited quality of life (Qol) with reduced physical performance and unhealthy eating behaviors. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the abovementioned factors and their relationship to each other. METHODS: We included 380 medical students (167 men, 213 women, age 22.2 ± 3.9 yrs) who participated in the sports medicine elective subject. Qol was measured with the SF-36 questionnaire, and endurance capacity was measured by using an incremental running test. Daily dietary intake was measured using a 7-day diary protocol. Depending on sex and the maximum speed achieved, students were divided into three performance groups. RESULTS: Men achieved higher maximal speed, heart rate, and lactate. Carbohydrates and fat intake did not meet recommendations in either group. Dietary fibre intake differed significantly between the performance groups in men and women, with the better groups having higher intakes. CONCLUSIONS: Our data do not suggest increased risk or health-damaging behaviors in medical students compared with the general population. Irrespective of this, incentives should be set to enable a healthy life even during complex studies with a high learning effort.

[Selection interviews at Hanover Medical School (MHH): determinants of student selection in medical studies]. / Auswahlgespräche an der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover: Determinanten der Studierendenauswahl im Studiengang Medizin.

INTRODUCTION: In order to incorporate social and communicative skills in its student admissions process, Hanover Medical School (MHH) has conducted selection interviews (in combination with the high-school GPA) to choose 60 % of its freshmen in medical studies. The present article analyses if applicants' performances in the interviews were the determining criterion of student selection, despite a higher weighting of school grades in the admission process. Furthermore, this article checks whether the grading of the interviews was independent of the applicants' gender, age, origin and educational background. METHODS: For a sample of more than 3,000 successful and unsuccessful participants in the MHH student admission process in the years 2010-2017, we employ variance analysis and logistic regression analysis to determine those factors that have contributed to the chances of being offered a place at the MHH after a successful interview. RESULTS: The scores received in the selection interview were the sole determinant of being offered a place at the MHH; neither the applicants'age nor their gender or origin biased the decisions of the selection committees. The grading of the interview was also not affected by school GPAs. DISCUSSION: The selection interviews at the MHH have been costly in terms of both financial and human resources. However, this selection method has been popular among students and lecturers alike, not least because its elements fit the MHH's focus on early bedside teaching and social skills of prospective physicians. However, there is no evidence that selection interviews are effective in predicting academic success. CONCLUSIONS: The present article has shown that the selection interviews acted up to the principles defined by the MHH: very homogenous high school GPAs were complemented by differentiated interview assessments that did not discriminate by sociodemographic characteristics. It is, however, unclear if the MHH will resume the interviews after the end of a federally mandated halt to stand-alone selection methods at medical schools in Germany.

Regression analyses of questionnaires in bedside teaching.

BACKGROUND: Students' ratings of bedside teaching courses are difficult to evaluate and to comprehend. Validated systematic analyses of influences on students' perception and valuation of bedside teaching can serve as the basis for targeted improvements. METHODS: Six hundred seventy-two observations were conducted in different surgical departments. Survey items covered the categories teacher's performance, student's self-perception and organizational structures. Relevant factors for the student overall rating were identified by multivariable linear regression after exclusion of variable correlations > 0.500. The main target for intervention was identified by the 15% worst overall ratings via multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: According to the students the success of bedside teaching depended on their active participation and the teacher's explanations of pathophysiology. Further items are both relevant to the overall rating and a possible negative perception of the session. In comparison, negative perception of courses (worst 15%) is influenced by fewer variables than overall rating. Variables that appear in both calculations show slight differences in their weighing for their respective endpoints. CONCLUSION: Relevant factors for overall rating and negative perception in bedside teaching can be identified by regression analyses of survey data. Analyses provide the basis for targeted improvement.

[Structured chest X-ray imaging training with OSCE examination : Results of a feasibility study and follow-up survey]. / Training zur strukturierten Befundung von Radiographien des Thorax mit OSCE-Prüfung : Ergebnisse einer Machbarkeitsstudie und Follow-up-Befragung.

BACKGROUND: The structured diagnosis of chest radiographs is an important basic competence in radiology and will be required in the student teaching with the implementation of the National Competency-Based Learning Catalog Medicine (NKLM) in Germany. AIM: The aim was to evaluate the extent to which second-year students gain confidence in the diagnosis of chest radiographs through a new curricular training for the diagnosis of chest radiographs with subsequent objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) and how confident they feel about meeting the expectations of the supervising medical colleagues during the clinical clerkship. METHODS: The training included four lectures and ten commented instructional films on the diagnosis of radiographs. Two years later, the students were asked how often and in what form they had contact with chest radiographs in their clinical clerkship. They were also asked how confident they felt in dealing in different areas. The students with training were also asked to what extent the lectures and the instructional films were helpful. The results of students in the last year without and the first year with training and OSCE were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test for independent samples. RESULTS: The frequency of dealing with chest radiographs was comparably high among students with and without training. The students with training and OSCE felt more confident and better prepared in dealing with chest radiographs than the students without training (varying between p < 0.001 and p = 0.148). They rated the educational films as more helpful than the lectures (mean 2.85 ± 0.76 vs. 3.41 ± 0.68 on a four-point scale). DISCUSSION: With early training, students' confidence in dealing with chest radiographs can be sustainably increased.

The development of the internal medicine courses at Hannover Medical School from 2001 to 2018.

Aim: The subject-based model curriculum at the Hannover Medical School (MHH) is characterized by two major features: early and continuous contact with patients and the interconnection of theoretical and clinical content. The progressive adaptations to the internal medicine curriculum which is taught longitudinally over five years are presented. Methods: Looking back on 17 years of experience with our model curriculum and the events leading to its inception, we summarize the challenges and subsequent modifications to the longitudinal internal medicine curriculum. Some of these challenges are likely to occur in other subjects and can therefore be generalized. Results: Integrating preclinical and clinical content was more resource intensive than thought and unexpectedly led to capacity problems since the German courts ruled that the presence of more teachers brought with it an obligation to enroll more students. In response to this, teaching responsibilities were extended to both outpatient facilities and academic teaching hospitals. Major changes included a more even distribution of clinical content in the first year, a rigorous standardization of teaching content in clinical skills, increased adaptation of content to reflect prior knowledge in the third and fourth years, and a focus on clinical reasoning in the fifth year. Restructuring the academic year into three ten-week blocks (two in the winter term and one in the summer term) allowed the retention of small groups. Conclusion: These measures rely heavily on considering teaching responsibilities within rotation plans, curriculum development and continuous faculty engagement. Since teachers are not sufficiently familiar with the distinctions between teaching formats, they mostly consider how far students have advanced in their studies when choosing course content. This implies that the current nomenclature requires improvement.

HannibaL - the model curriculum at Hannover Medical School: targets, implementation and experiences.

Aim: The model curriculum known as HannibaL is an integrated, professionally-based adaptive curriculum that began at the Hannover Medical School (MHH) during the 2005/06 academic year. HannibaL turns medical students into competent physicians through its patient-based interdisciplinary instruction. This paper provides an overview of the curriculum's creation, educational content and philosophy and reflects on the experience that has been gathered. Also described are organizational and quality assurance measures which were also employed to implement the model curriculum. Method: The central ideas and processes are reported in a primarily narrative manner in an attempt to present the information coherently. The aspects discussed are setting up the model curriculum, central features of teaching and exams with their underlying educational premises; organization and evaluation are also covered in the context of the research literature on curriculum and faculty development. Developing the teaching and learning culture of the model curriculum is also explored. Results: The basic objectives were realized, including the design of learning spirals and intensifying the inclusion of patients and practical elements at the beginning of study. However, plans to allow students more freedom to pursue their own learning and research interests have not yet been satisfactorily implemented. Key areas to support teaching have been expanded (teacher training for instructors, student advising, course evaluations). Conclusion: The model curriculum and its aims are widely recognized and supported not only by medical students and instructors, but also external committees and experts. As a consequence, HannibaL will be developed further in upcoming years to implement the objectives which have not yet been met and to master new challenges faced by medical education.

[Examination facility at Hannover Medical School]. / Prüfungen an der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover ­ Wie kommt man vom Ist zum Soll?

Dissection of the examination system of Hannover Medical School has identified potential for improvement of the complete procudere. Five scopes has been identified: 1. advancement of electronic examinations, 2. improvement of quality control, 3. central management of all exams, 4. more transperancy, 5. establishment of an incentive structure. The strategies for improvement were presented.

[Quality criteria for academic assessments according to Kane's framework]. / Gütekriterien bei universitären Prüfungen im Lichte von Kanes Rahmenwerk.

Although the publication of the recommendations of GMA and MFT in 2014 concerning the improvement of assessment quality in medical education had been an important step for the German-speaking faculties, it is still necessary to increase the efforts. There are still some aspects of assessments which were only intimated by the recommendations.Kane's framework for the validation of tests, published in 2013, is of special importance for assessments within medical studies. But the application of this framework hasn't been consequent enough until now. The article tries to give an indirect, general answer to the question, what has to be considered, when assessments in medical education were planned.

The impact of the program structure at Hannover Medical School on academic success in medical studies.

Aim: The classical course structure for medicine in Germany is separated by three sections of the medical state examination. This structure is generally regarded as sensible and unchangeable. Because the special program structure at Hannover Medical School (MHH) has one integrated, rather than two separate study blocks, it is possible to examine the influence of structural modifications on the study success of different admission groups. Methods: The data was obtained from students admitted to the MHH between 2006 and 2008 in different admission quotas. Study success was defined as the successful completion of the entire program, but completion of the first section of the state examination was also analysed. Results: More students from the best "Abitur" (school leaving examinations) quota successfully completed their studies than those accepted via the selection process of the universities. The latter were more successful than students from the waiting list quota. However the successful graduates of this last group completed their studies more often within the prescribed period of study, although they needed more time for completing all parts of the first section of the state examination. Conclusion: The data shows that an integrated course structure can offer, in particular, students from the waiting list quota, the opportunity to compensate for delays in the first years of study. However, they do not provide any evidence which applicants are best suited to meet the social and professional requirements of trained doctors. Due to the complex structure of such longitudinal studies, our results allow more than one plausible interpretation.

Who will be the Radiologists of Tomorrow? A survey of radiology during the "Practical Year" in Germany.

Purpose Aim of our study was to evaluate the motivation of medical students in their final year of medical school to choose radiology for further specialization by means of a Germany-wide survey. Materials and Methods The survey was performed during the 2015/16 semester among German medical students in their four months radiology elective during the final year. Invitations for the study were distributed by the Student Secretariats of each university. The survey was web-based with EvaSys 7.0 software. Questions on radiology contents during medical studies and "practical year" were part of the survey. Plans for residency and possible advantages and disadvantages of radiology as medical specialty were inquired. Descriptive statistics and group comparisons were used as analysis methods. Results 89 students participated in the survey at the beginning and 60 students at the end of the practical year. Of these 39 students could be identified who answered both questionnaires. Most students were satisfied with their final year radiology elective (mean 1.8 on a range from 1 to 5). Nevertheless, they criticized mentoring during routine work (mean 2.1) and a lack of educational courses (mean 2.1). Most students (83 %) were uncertain about their residency choice at the beginning of their "practical year" and about one fifth changed their plans. From the students' point of view main advantages of radiology included contact with many other clinical disciplines (87 %) and the working conditions (68 %). The reduced patient contact (42 %), the large amount of work at a computer (43 %), and the dependency on referring physicians (42 %) were regarded as the main disadvantages. The students regarded the way radiology is taught during the studies as not practical enough. With regard to radiology the majority of students (63 %) felt poorly prepared for their future work. Conclusion The "practical year" is important regarding the choice of future specialization. There was a high degree of satisfaction with the "practical year" in radiology. The mentoring during routine work and a lack of educational courses was mildly criticized. These factors provide room for improvement to foster students' interest in radiology. Key Points · The "practical year" is important regarding the choice of further specialization.. · Criticisms of radiology in the "practical year" were mentoring and courses.. · Students feel poorly prepared for their future work regarding practical radiological skills.. Citation Format · Dettmer S, Fischer V, Paeßens C et al. Who will be the Radiologists of Tomorrow? A survey of radiology during the "Practical Year" in Germany. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2017; 189: 967 - 976.

Integrating patients into medical education.

The discussions about medical education in the public focus upon quantity. The quality of the teaching process isn't questioned. But the professionalization of medical education should start with a close look at bedside teaching because it is the core of training medical doctors. PATIENT-CENTERED TEACHING: German medical leicensure act (Approbationsordnung) defines the quality of medical education by standard setting for group sizes and fixing the hours of bedside teaching. Although there are some fuzzy definitions it is possible to extract some special forms of bedside teaching. The capacity act (Kapazitätsverordnung) interprets these definitions for calculating the number of students who could be enrolled each year. TYPES OF BEDSIDE TEACHING: The different forms of contact with patients which are necessary for a good medical education can be transformed into distinct types of courses. Our classification of courses with specific forms of patient contact is suitable to describe each German program of medical studies. This quantitative profile offers new opportunities for comparing medical education at the different faculties. DISCUSSION: In many German medical schools the hours of bedside teaching are allocated in a verv pragmatical way according to the medical leicensure act. A more professional curriculum planning leads to a sophisticated use of these diverse forms of patient-centered teaching. Because this professional planning is better derived from the legal basis it offers new arguments against an economically oriented hospital management.

Hannover model for the implementation of physical and rehabilitation medicine teaching in undergraduate medical training.

As any patient may require rehabilitation and physical therapies, all physicians need to acquire at least a basic knowledge of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM). In 2005 PRM teaching was implemented in all phases of the curriculum for medical students in Germany. The curriculum includes, among others, the following topics: principles of rehabilitation; the model of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF); principles and effects of physiotherapy and occupational therapy; indications and contraindications for PRM interventions. Teaching of PRM topics is implemented from the first week in all phases of the curriculum, as: (i) lectures in the module "Introduction to Medicine (Propaedeuticum)"; (ii) a cross-sectional course entitled "Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Naturopathic Treatment (RPMN)"; (iii) single lectures on PRM in other fields; (iv) elective mandatory courses on the social model of rehabilitation, balneology, and others; and (v) the option to choose PRM as a subject for practical training. All modules are evaluated regularly by the students. Global ratings of the module "Propaedeuticum" were good, and of the cross-sectional course "RPMN" very good. The advanced part of the practical training was rated highly by the students. In conclusion, the implementation of teaching of PRM and other rehabilitation topics in undergraduate medical education is a successful concept that fulfils the criteria for education in medical school set out by the American Association of Academic Physiatrists.

How many hindsight biases are there?

The answer is three: questioning a conceptual default assumption in hindsight bias research, we argue that the hindsight bias is not a unitary phenomenon but consists of three separable and partially independent subphenomena or components, namely, memory distortions, impressions of foreseeability and impressions of necessity. Following a detailed conceptual analysis including a systematic survey of hindsight characterizations in the published literature, we investigated these hindsight components in the context of political elections. We present evidence from three empirical studies that impressions of foreseeability and memory distortions (1) show hindsight effects that typically differ in magnitude and sometimes even in direction, (2) are essentially uncorrelated, and (3) are differentially influenced by extraneous variables. A fourth study found similar dissociations between memory distortions and impressions of necessity. All four studies thus provide support for a separate components view of the hindsight bias. An important consequence of such a view is that apparent contradictions in research findings as well as in theoretical explanations (e.g., cognitive vs. social-motivational) might be alleviated by taking differences between components into account. We also suggest conditions under which the components diverge or converge.

Hindsight bias in political elections.

Two studies on political hindsight bias were conducted on the occasions of the German parliament election in 1998 and the Nordrhein-Westfalen state parliament election in 2000. In both studies, participants predicted the percentage of votes for several political parties and recalled these predictions after the election. The observed hindsight effects were stronger than those found in any prior study on political elections (using percentage of votes as the dependent variable). We argue that the length of the retention interval between original judgement and recollection is mainly responsible for this difference. In our second study, we investigated possible artifacts in political hindsight biases using a control-group design where half of the participants recalled their predictions shortly before or after the election. Hindsight bias was preserved, reinforcing the results of earlier studies with non-control-group designs. Finally, we discuss the possibility that the hindsight experience (in political judgement and in general) actually consists of three different, partly independent components.